Puzzle.



J ENNIE ELLEN VAN ANTWVERP, OF DENT, MINNESOTA.

PUZZLE.

Specification of Letters Patent,

Patented Dec. 18, 1906.

Application filed September 29, 1906. Serial No. 336,723.

To all whom it may concern.-

Beit known that I, JENNIE ELLEN VAN ANTWERP, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Dent, in the county of Ottertail and State of Minnesota, have invented a new and Improved Puzzle, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention is an improvement in puzzles, consisting of a round box having fixed therein partitions and a wedge-shaped apertured and grooved block, which I term a bridge, dividing the box into a plurality of compartments. In one of these compartments are placed a plurality of spheres or marbles differing in size, the object being to so manipulate the box as to cause the marbles to passfrom this compartment to the second compartment and thence over the bridge to the third compartment.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is a plan view of the puzzle. Fig. 2 is a transverse vertical section substantially on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1; and Fig. 3 is a sectional view on the line 3 3 of Fig. 1, both of said sections being viewed in the direction of their respective arrows.

The puzzle comprises a box 1, preferably round and having fixed therein a partition 2, arranged non-radially of the box, and also a short partition 3, fixed to the box parallel to partition 2. Joining the partitions 2 and 3 together and extending at right angles to them is an inclined wedge-shaped block 4, which serves as a bridge and in conjunction with the partitions divides the box into three compartments, (respectively designated by the numerals 5, 6, and 7.)

The bridge is grooved on its upper face and has extending transversely thereto, connecting the compartments 5 and 6 together, a circular opening or aperture 8 and also a somewhat smaller aperture 9 at right angles thereto communicating with the grooved face of the bridge.

To operate the puzzle, two spheres 10 and 11 are placed in the compartment 5, the sphere 10 being of such size as to freely pass through the aperture 8, but of greater diameter than the aperture 9. The smaller sphere 11 will not only readily roll through the aperture 8, but is small enough to drop through the aperture 9 when it is rolled upon the inclined block or bridge 4. In order to pass both spheres from the compartment 5, through the compartment 6, and over the bridge to the compartment 7, it is necessary to get the large sphere in the aperture 8 directly under the aperture 9 after the smaller sphere has been rolled into the compartment 6. With the large sphere in this position to bridge the opening of the aperture 9 it is easy to roll the small sphere up the inclined bridge over it, as illustrated in Fig. 3. After the small sphere has been safely deposited in the compartment 7 it is not difficult to roll the large sphere over the bridge into this compartment.

I have described the invention in detail in order that the construction and operation might be fully understood. I, however, regard the precise embodiment as not material provided the essential characteristics are employed as pointed out in the annexed claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. A puzzle comprising a box, and means dividing the box into a plurality of compartments, said dividing means including as an element an inclined bridge, said bridge having apertures therein arranged at right angles to each other, for the purpose described.

2. A puzzle comprising a round box, means dividing the box into a plurality of compartments, said dividing means including as an element an inclined bridge having a grooved upper face oining two of the compartments together, said bridge being also provided with a transverse aperture, and a somewhat smaller aperture arranged at right angles thereto communicating with said upper grooved. face, for the purpose described.

3. A puzzle comprising a box, means dividing the box into a plurality of compartments, and an inclined bridge connecting two of the compartments together, said bridge having apertures therein arranged at right angles to each other, for the purpose described.

4. A puzzle comprising a box, means dividing the box into three compartments in. cluding as an element a bridge connecting the second and third compartments together, said bridge having an aperture connecting the first and second compartments together, and a second and somewhat smaller aperture leading from the first and communicating with the upper face of the bridge, smaller aperture leading from the first and for the purpose described. communicating with the upper grooved face 5. A puzzle comprising a circular box, of the bridge, for the purpose described. means dividing the box into three compart- In testimony whereof I have signed my 5 ments including as an element an inclined name to this specification in the presence of [5 brldge havmg an upper, grooved face contwo subscribing witnesses.

necting the second and third compartments JENNIE ELLEN VAN ANTWERP. together, said bridge having an aperture con- Witnesses: necting the first and second compartments EDWARD VAN ANTWERP,

10 together, and a second and somewhat MILLIE Gow. 

